Imagine you are in a Movie theatre …. or watching a concert or a sports competition in a stadium.

When we begin, we might sit in the front row, surrounded by and excited by the noise, the immediacy of the event. The light from the screen or event draws us inwards, we lose ourselves in it. Our focus is absolute – on experiencing the entertainment (or other distraction) …. Perhaps another example of this particular experience would be, when we focus only on achievement, or in the case of Entertainment, smartphones, some extreme sports, Play-stations and other game boxes, do by their very nature force us to stay present totally engrossed in the experience – in doing so they bring us a dopamine burst – our reward, our self-gratification..

During the movie (or event), we do not think about ourselves at all, unless we are not engrossed in the spectacle, then our thoughts may be of a non-present nature.

As we evolve, we move little by little we move to the rear of the Theatre, and as the distance lengthens between where we are and the screen (life), it becomes progressively distant, we observe an ever widening perspective of the image of life and our place within it, we see it not as a single event, but the big-picture, including the events that led to it, the very patterns of life …. We realise that in many ways we can be our own enemy for when we focus on a fear or an expectation and over think, this will often leads to suffering …. Remember what we focus, we give energy to and so this thought, this experience (good or bad) grows in our lives.

Meditation – that which we do in the morning, is practice, at some point in this practice, we are able to carry that state with us throughout the day and in living our life.

If we are able (which is happening in some schools) to teach mindful meditation to children as young as 8, will over time, over the generations, I feel will change the nature of humanity, and will lead to a self respect and therefore respecting others, for me it is on the path to peace, love and understanding.

When in mindfulness we stay present in the moment, not reliving the past or investing in our expectations of the future – this does not mean we don’t responsibly plan for the future, it just means we stay present and don’t invest in and therefore do not live in the future by building and living in castles we build in the air, instead of creating our foundations for the futures in the present moment.

Eventually, if it is on the path of the individual, we evolve further and come via little steps to a detached Mindless-Mindful state where unless we have a task to do that needs our mind, the mind is at rest, and empty of thoughts. This place is a also an incredible place of calm, when needed a state of intense focus. Hence when an event happens that requires our mind we can give it our absolute focus and attention.

A mind that is under observation from the higher self will go quiet on its own and achieve a passive state of pure observation – where we observe its actions without participating in them.

Condemnation and criticism are not on the Path to understanding, for we know that unconscious judgemental reactions do not liberate, they do not clarify, they oppress. Such projections in the realm of personal beliefs do not help, they only hinder discussion, social discourse, co-operation and any eventual collaboration.

This thing is when we react to the thoughts, words or actions of others, they are through in their words and or actions controlling us, jointly you create a conflict, but at the end of the day nothing is resolved as no outcome will come of this conflict, except the hardening of attitudes on both sides. People will not change their beliefs until they want to change or have a learning experience that places them on a new path, that will begin the process, organically, so to speak – this can only be achieved through quiet and reasoned discourse … criticism does nothing to create respectful discourse.

What illustrates this well is a quote from Carl Jung ..

Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.”

This applies to all parties … perhaps it is necessary before we judge others to pause and reflect on the case of why people feel the way they do? rather than get lost in our emotions.

What gets lost here are the stakes, that citizens of a country are involved in a conflict with other citizens of the same country … the seeds of division and destruction are so easily sown.

I have spoken about this before in my previous post called Social Media – exacerbates conflict and divisiveness here http://bit.ly/2Ny49Ni – Please pay particular attention to the following stages of story verification …. this is important I feel .. if you have any questions of concerns about the veracity of information you are receiving via the internet from news and more particularly Social Media …. ask yourself the following questions ..

1. Who is writing the stories? – is the source credible .. though that is not always a guarantee of veracity to know if it is true, fake or misinformation, designed to misinform and create or increase divisiveness.

It is hard these days to know what news services are credible … those sources from my youth such as UK Broadcasters, the BBC for instance are now suspect … all one can do is to seek confirmation from a number of sources.

2. Who benefits from these stories? – does a political party or aspect of society benefit from say misinformation contained in the story .. please evaluate the story impartially, not through the primary filter of your personal political beliefs and convictions.

3. Who / What is missing from these stories? The other side, more information, a different perspective on the situation.

4. Verify anything that can be verified in the story, don’t share it or believe it merely because it agrees with your general beliefs or with your confirmation bias.

However in these days of Facebook, which is in my view the most divisive and therefore destructive social platform available – where we are asked to like, share, comment or move on .. so we respond in our busyness without truly considering the post, we share because it conforms with our beliefs, our confirmation bias and so an uninformed post gains traction … in hindsight possibly we might wonder what is true and what is fake – if we don’t then we are part of the problem.

However, the problems that the less-privileged workers talk about are real, are concerning, and are seemingly without resolution. These people sense their living standard declining, instead of seeking understanding and resolution through critical analysis, debate, and social change, they look (unconsciously) for something more immediate someone to blame, a fantasy is created: it is somehow someone else’s fault, so let’s blame, a minority or a religion or the other side of the political divide. It’s easy and simple and just plain wrong.

At the same time, it affirms in their minds the true lack of worth of the opposition, they are demeaned, dehumanised and demonised all based on an uninformed or incorrect post.

On the other side of the ideological belief divide, there are those who seek greater social and economic equality and equity and the protection of what has already been gained. Again we have a unconscious reaction instead of critically analysing an issue (s). We would understand it far better if a dialogue was entered into with those on the other side (both sides are guilty of this). They both fall into their own emotional trap because they don’t understand the whole implication of the arguement, and so they will unconsciously demonize their opposition, as in Australia where there is a very noticeable split between the sides of the ideological debate.

They will portray each other in disparaging, demeaning even de-humanising terms, as evil or even snowflakes – this demeans and nullifies the seriousness of the problem in question … this makes them each jointly responsible for every possible scenario, the woes and failings of Government because of “them” … all participants are part of the problem and when of course the majority of what they fear may be uninformed emotional rhetoric

What motivates all these words …. for me I think it is fear. Why – because of ego! – where the people concerned go to the nth degree to demean, criticise, blame to condemn, these and more are all home territory of the ego – all so they can feel right and of course others are shown as being wrong.

“Democracy can buckle if we give in to fear’ – President Obama – he suggests ‘If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life’

Martha C Nussbaum also said it so well,

“When people are afraid of one another and of an unknown future, fear easily gives rise to scapegoating, to fantasies of payback, and to poisonous envy of the fortunate (whether those victorious in the election or those dominant socially and economically).

We need to think hard about fear and where fear is leading us. After taking a deep breath we all need to understand ourselves as well as we can, using that moment of detachment to figure out where fear and related emotions come from and where they are leading us.”

The below is from Alan Watts in the Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

“The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil rights, international peace, population control, conservation of natural resources, sustainable energy, and assistance to the starving of the earth—urgent as they are—will destroy rather than help if made in the [current] spirit. For, as things stand, we have nothing to give. If our own riches and our own way of life are not enjoyed here, they will not be enjoyed anywhere else. Certainly, they will supply the immediate jolt of energy and hope that methedrine (methamphetamine), and similar drugs, give in extreme fatigue.

But peace can be made only by those who are peaceful, and love can be shown only by those who love. No work of love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

In any foreseeable future, there are going to be thousands and thousands of people who detest and abominate Negroes, communists, Russians, Chinese, Jews, Catholics, (add Muslims) beatniks, homosexuals, and “dope-fiends and …. .” These hatreds are not going to be healed, but only inflamed, by insulting those who feel them, and the abusive labels with which we plaster them—squares, fascists, rightists, know-nothings—may well become the proud badges and symbols around which they will rally and consolidate themselves. Nor will it do to confront the opposition in public with polite and nonviolent sit-ins and demonstrations, while boosting our collective ego by insulting them in private. If we want justice for minorities and cooled wars with our natural enemies, whether human or non-human, we must first come to terms with the minority and the enemy in ourselves and in our own hearts, for the rascal is there as much as anywhere in the “external” world—-especially when you realize that the world outside your skin is as much yourself as the world inside. For want of this awareness, no one can be more belligerent than a pacifist on the rampage, or more militantly nationalistic than an anti-imperialist.

The idea of white privilege is absolutely reprehensible. The idea that you can target an ethnic group with a collective crime, regardless of the specific innocence or guilt of the constituent elements of that group – there is absolutely nothing that’s more racist than that.”

― Alan Wilson Watts, The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

At some point in the future when Politicians, the media and others with a vested interest in divisiveness have nothing to gain, they will no longer fan the flames of division, then and only then we are on the path to consensus and hopefully peace and a creative constructive future.

Many years ago, there were two sources that I used to move myself out of my mind and bring me back to the present moment.

Firstly mindful meditation and for me the most important outcome of this was … to see the world through the present moment, for there is no other moment …. don’t fight me on this just please look at it this way. We look through the present moment at the memory (the past) and we see it from our personal perspective. It is the same for the future, we project on the future what we desire through the present moment … in doing so the future becomes an expectation, an attachment, and as such it will very likely bring suffering when it does not eventuate.

So, I live life in baby steps, by simply living in the present, accepting what comes (for unless we do we cannot respond to it) and flowing with it.

Before meditation and mindfulness – I was acting in a group discussion to help some people come to terms with their changed circumstances … so my sincere thanks goes out to Don Miguel RUIZ, the author of the Four Agreements as below.

I was given these Agreements below to pass around .. they made a positive difference to the discussion flow, fostered some personal realisations and even a epiphany for one I was told later, so I think that they are worth sharing here ..

Agreement 1

Be impeccable with your word – speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.Agreement 2 – #This

Don’t take anything personally – Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

Agreement 3

Don’t make assumptions – Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.Agreement 4

Always do your best – Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self judgement, self abuse and regret.

Consider bringing these thoughts into your life … make them part of you, and they will make a difference in your relationships, both with yourself and how you relate to your external relationships

I very rarely do this, that is to project my beliefs on any duality topic.

It is not that I don’t care about my country or other people, I do, but I can do almost nothing about changing the world, I can only change myself – in other words to be the change I would like to see in the world …. I help when I can do things in a community or for a charity and other things that I support … but in my view social change and our evolution of our joint consciousness towards all of us working together will truly progress only when it comes from within. When we truly accept and love ourselves and subjugate the ego … only then will this love becomes as a light and a guide for all of us.

Others may think they can, and global public opinion has had its successes, when we work together – but we rarely do … for the division of humanity is why those in power are in power, as those use their power to manipulate the majority through fear / blame etc. (this strategy for control was detailed in a book called Propaganda by Edward Bernays in 1928 (Wikipedia article here), also an animated book review here on YouTube. His comment about the subject of the book is as follows.

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”—Edward Bernays

To form a viable opinion, we do need information that has credibility … currently Fake news is destroying the credibility of all news services. From the biased sources on both sides of media from the ultra-right to the ultra-left they make up news that is designed to push buttons, in other words is designed to create a emotive response … stories are made up for their reaction, there is little of no part of them which is true. Or vital news concerning a topic is just excluded. These sort of mis-information is designed for the incrediblly divisive medium, call social media, whether that be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or …. these mediums have been polluted to the extent that it gives the participant (us) little in the way of independant news or alternatively they invest in obviously partisan news … polluting their news feed with the same. Those that invest in the stream further adds to the divisiveness of society … I did a post on this here.

I do not believe any country is evil. Yes, there are evil people who when they have the ego beliefs, the tools and circumstances can control and manipulate “normal” people to an evil end … mind you every experience, even evil ones bring a lesson of their own.

The thing that is to me is important is that Humanity never learns from history ot the principles derived from it (Hegel) , in a nut shell

George Santayana said … “Those who do not learn from history are condemed to repeat it”and from George Bernard Shaw “We learn from history that men never learn anything from history

Why is this, perhaps in those current circumstances, the protagonists who don’t learn from the past think or more likely do not think, that for them it will be different.

Though one can manipulate the herd that is humanity via these strategies, (fear / blame / Self-interest / Religion, xenophobia, the tribal mentality ++ etc., examples of such areas where fear and blame are used, are particularly useful, such as refugees, (currently from the middle east, but almost distant country would suffice) coloured people, Hispanics, religious and other minorities etc., and of course , manipulation and of course on larger scale, lies repeated often, in the case of the alleged weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq, put forward the case for war.

The past gives us lessons here from experts in manipulation

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it” – Adolph Hitler

and

“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.” – Joseph Goebbels

It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State – Joseph Goebbels

Strangely no one has ever been held accountable for the hundred of thousands of deaths that came from the Iraq War and currently the active wars around the world in the Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and Palestine … where innocents are dying.

Remember as Jung said, it is easier for us to judge than think. For me that is the real issue, we don’t think enough about the decisions and the spin that comes from Government …. OK Patriotism, love of country is one thing, jingoism that it is my country right or wrong is flawed and irresponsible, Nationalism is the most dangerous, it can start wars, it is excluding all outside of a nation – it is defined as exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups. For instance World War 2 was caused by nationalism and greed. Nazism’s almost epic nationalism appealed to downtrodden Germans still suffering the humiliation of being defeated in World War I. It has similarities to the recent world after the austerity measures imposed by Governments, in the main caused by the greed of Wall Street and others.

It’s a given that Politicians are not enlightened beings, most have the emotional maturity of 11 year old bullies in a school play ground that rarely if ever mature, especially on things that threaten their beliefs, their fears, their desires or their income.

Economy

The Consumer society is in the death throws, as is Capitalism as we know it … the death knell of greed for its own sake. But what’s next, what will replace it, hopefully I would like there to be a form of co-operative ownership where the workers have an input into the decision making process, together with a relevant education system … that prepares with the necessary skills needed to live in an collaborative society that will hopefully be created. I am thinking about this now and will write and post on it on one of my other blogs.

I personally bank with a mutual bank, this type of bank doesn’t have shareholders, they have customers, and this means they are able to use profits to support organisations, events and programs that the customers care about, in the home districts.

Things we can’t control …

The idea of war, where intelligent people purposefully go out and kill their own kind is a horror filled and unconscionable act. We are the only creature in nature that with intent kills their own kind in the millions, however what is worse are those at home who encourage and incite others via Politics and the media to kill ….. these are the people that perhaps should end up in The Hague for crimes against humanity …

How is it freedom or defensive for a Coalition of nations, or an individual country to attack another, to invade another … it is not about freedom, it is about projecting power, about control and self-interest initially, once the wars wears on there is rarely the political will to continue when troops are overseas. The injustices that occur and the deaths of innocents show the lack of humanity. We are all accountable for these instances, for we disrupt, separate and kill innocents, whose relatives, naturally want someone to pay, then we wonder why terrorism is an issue. Noam Chomsky has a very relevant quote here

“The wanton killing of innocents is terrorism, not a war against terrorism.

In this case it could be argued that if we don’t want terrorists acts in our country, we shouldn’t initiate and participate in terrorist acts in someone else’s country.

Society

We have been made dependent and subject to the products, whims and dictates of Corporations, we are not powerless as a society, but because we are not united nothing happens … perhaps it is necessary to see outside of ourselves to realise the issue.

Unlike our ancestors, few in the west today have chosen a future in growing food, fewer still outside the farming industry know how to grow food, how could we look after ourselves and their families, to create a home, without the help of the ever intrusive and growing Big brother and the products supplied by Corporations and banks. What will happen if at a moment in time Corporations no longer supply our food etc? How many of us will survive?

External to where I live, I understand North Korea is a threat, a clear and present threat as their leadership, a cult of personality and autocracy at least, but if there is common sense (maybe) it will not happen – if not are we up for another example of the devastation and mass death that nuclear weapons can bring …. I tend to follow the credo, that I do not do to others, that which I don’t want done to me but mainly we can create peace only by living peacefully.

Democracy is an ideology, a construct, which we cannot export at the point of a gun, but continue to try to, or at least say we do. But many wars on the surface at least seem more about a certain country’s dogma or Corporate self-interest, rather than anything else. War is continuous somewhere, after all it is a Corporate profit centre. One of the most dangerous combinations of beliefs for control and subjugation of dissent is when religion and politics are combined … in my view the greater distance between these two the more personal freedom we have.

Change in any structure …. Personal, community, Corporations and countries doesn’t work when it is imposed on us … true lasting positive change and indeed the destruction of a country also comes from within over time.

On a personal level changing one person’s direction in life is so difficult because the first point that is needed is …. we have to want to change … the status quo is not bringing meaning to our lives, we try new things and sometimes we are fortunate that these resonate and we follow where that path leads, a journey that never ends.

For me, if I change myself to what I believe to be a continuing evolving soul then I can if others wish it help by illuminating the process … although I would never approach someone with that thought in mind …. Doing that requires a few things … it is why I don’t call myself a teacher because to regurgitate dogma or personal beliefs is counter intuitive because every person’s path is unique, it is wrong to project my beliefs onto the world – they work for me … but I am however happy to talk, happy to offer a perspective, to help others look within, but I cannot tell them what to see for one size doesn’t fit all ….

There are many paths to enlightenment, in my experience spiritual evolution and dramatic personal growth doesn’t often happen in a highly structured environment, it doesn’t happen when you want to achieve it (for a desire or ego) …. For the spirit, the insights and revelations of soul evolution are quite different from the cognitive mind and the primal mind where many are infected by the ego and desires.

Letting go of attachments … I am not talking about family here, I am talking about your expectations about how things are, and what will happen, holding onto things just brings frustration and suffering. Strangely letting go, detaching oneself from outcomes, from people. this doesn’t mean that we don’t participate in life, it means that we can and do participate more fully, for there is nothing holding us back from giving our full self.

In a macro sense there is little we can do to change difficult situations on a State, National or international level. Yet we project our beliefs onto others, … again as one person, we can only change ourselves and project our own self and the love we feel outwards to others …

If one holds onto an idea, follow an self proclaimed ideology or have the feeling that things should be a certain way …. It means we cannot see the way things actually are … this can bring frustration … suffering and eventually anger … and in the case of some organisations, cults and governments – violence.

I am not immune to outside influences, I experience many things, however the only way I can deal with what the ego and its projections and beliefs others bring, is to be present in the moment … allow time to reflect on the event … and understand it before (if) I respond (response not reaction).

When I speak of letting go of the past … I am not talking about your history with you family and friends or personal events because that is a giving love it is creative … for most of the past is an illusion for we remember it from our own perspective – and that’s OK, but to me now, the past is only for learning from, letting go of mistakes or depression, shame or guilt – this brings self-growth, self-respect, strength and ultimately authenticity. Forgive yourself for anything in the past, and forgive others that may have hurt you, for then the past no longer has a hold on you.

Aside from memories of beautiful moments in your past, to me learning from the past is its only purpose – remember you are no longer the you that you were then … it is all right to have made mistakes (for then we learn), you don’t have to be perfect … for no one is. I say this so we do not limit ourselves by our past as you create the future in the present … the present is the only time we have, it is only time we can act, it is the only moment we can act, because it is the only time that is real.

Do not allow the past to limit you …. Follow your bliss step by step, dont give up, remembering that our life can change in a heart beat.

The future and your expectations, your wishes and dreams are yet to come …. there is nothing wrong with having these to inspire and guide you as you slowly work towards them … what causes suffering is when you create an illusion by building your life around a certain things or event and that event doesn’t happen … this attachment to an outcome brings, as I said before frustration and suffering.

Fear created by the mind is too often an issue – because it is concern or uncertainty about a future event, it is a non-present thought … a fear generated by your desires, your attachments, something that affects you or those you love … this fear is an illusion as well in fact fear is the most powerful way of changing behaviour – as Gandhi said ….

The enemy is fear, we think it is hate, but it is fear

Over thinking is an issue for many, we keep focusing on a thought, we are digging a hole increasing our anxiety normally over something we can do nothing about, we must let it go and tell ourselves to stop, for remember where our focus goes, our energy flows also. The Vast majority of fears that come to us are illusions, they never come to pass.

In fear I am not talking about an imminent physical event, like physical danger. That is real … I am talking of the fears we generate in our minds which are illusory.

I understand and accept that there is inequality, injustice, abuse in all its forms and murder of so many people in the world, this too is a construct by those that want it this way, that do not understand that we are all divinity, for what we do to others, we do to ourselves – I lament this and the short sighted, self-seeking people who project their desires and ego beliefs or ideology to shape events and circumstances primarily for their own benefit.

But I can do nothing about them … again I can only control myself … the alternative is that violence creates violence … and once that begins humanity loses control …. The fog of war takes over and atrocities happen. The only way for social change is slowly, peacefully from within … peace comes from living peacefully, as Gandhi said, be the change you want to see in the world, and you will attract others, to create peace.

The nature of most of humankind is that we are selfish animals who believe we are separate from each other …. At the same time many of the less educated, lack an awareness of others and hence care only for their path and those they perceive are like them (when no one actually is), they care not for the plight of others …. I do not blame them, as a significant majority are being used by Governments … to me words mean very little, even enlightened words …. Actions are the only thing that is real and lasting, they define us …. From my perspective for instance some Politicians promise and rarely deliver, however that is the nature of human flaws and the human ego.

In many areas of the world, Australia included there are organisations set up to help the poor (often overseas), such strategies are laudable and achieve good things, when done for the right reasons – sometimes it is done for self-interest, to push a certain dogma – to change beliefs. However in many charities, the cost of running the charity is high and hence it means little money reaches those in need when this happens we must ask ourselves, who benefits? What is the purpose of the organisation.

For Charitable works overseas is one thing, but little is done about the poor in my own country … our citizens, 13% of Australians are described as poor and some are destitute, homeless – many of them children, our most important asset for our future, I ponder sometimes and wonder what are we teaching them?

My experience is that people who have nothing generally have few if any expectations in this all-encompassing consumer society … I have seen it … all they want is food and someplace to sleep, from my experience these souls are usually the most sharing and caring of people and will share their meagre food with others … they have nothing in the way of things or money, all they can do is give of themselves.

To me the most pressing issue in the world is that lack of education – and other forms of education is travel (and reading), for instance racism could be largely conquered if people would travel out of their own country and see others are like them … fascism would be reduced if we read and thought … I know a big ask when our focus is being controlled by others, in the vast gambit of entertainment and social media.

Any ideology will eventually lead to abuse, suffering and atrocity …. Religions and state ideologies, Tyrants, Totalitarian States, ethnic cleansing and Religions, Capitalism, Communism, tyrants, dictators and other hierarchies) are human constructs and they have killed possibly over a hundred million of us since World War 2 …. I will not follow someone unthinkingly into the abyss that is created by some dogma … the present or the future, the only true path is “Love” – I will do what I can for others, normally person to person to help.

Human kind when they look to the light, they generally move towards the guidance they receive, however if we turn our back on the light, in the shadow and darkness that this brings is where the worst of ourselves reside …. Our ego desires may attach itself to an Ideology, a fear … we might strive for their fulfilment whatever the cost, disregarding all else, including our family … until I woke up from this, I was lost in duality of business, the job I held. In business life we chase expectations.

To me there is an inverse relationship with faith and fear … the more faith we have the less fearful we are … those who have faith in Governments or Corporations have made a poor choice, for most value no one but themselves, one also needs to be careful here lest we create and illusion or delusion, such as some true believers, that project their beliefs onto and affect the life of others, such are cults, religions and many political or ideological organisations (Apple or Google +++ for instance) – the problem comes when a person identity is their job, their beliefs — hence changing their beliefs become a major process because it means changing their identity

Although some cults may become religions which thrive on dogma and seek growth, power, separation and control for themselves …. To ensure that the participants know they are right and all others wrong … it becomes a tribal, a them and us mentality …. Where religions come into conflict over their perspective on God saying they are right, they know .. silly really for no one truly does. I am thinking back here to the Fable of the Wise men and the elephant … see my post here.

One last thing … a philosopher, Lao Tzu once said “Stop thinking and end your problems” – the mind can be our greatest asset, but until we can control and eventually subjugate the ego, more often it seems it is our greatest enemy, not only for ourselves but for our impact on others.

This is highly unusual to me, to explain my beliefs, they are as they are, well for today, they will change and within a year will have changed some by little steps, new insights etc.

If you have read this far, it is up to me to apologise … sorry for the lecture … perhaps you have similar thoughts are your thoughts may be quite divergent.

Any perspective within a frame of reference that we create is bound to be biased, incomplete or distorted … however this is merely my perspective … take what resonates with you and disregard the rest.

Truthfully I do not know where I am in the process, but there have been many slow changes in me physically and spiritually, effectively in how I see and respond to the world in the more than the 9 months since it began.

The mind is powerful, but from a spiritual evolution point of view, it is only so long as the ego is subjugated …. Mindfulness brings the reality of perspective … I live on the basis of Accept what comes while staying present and flow .. though sometimes (rarely) I have to remind myself to be mindful.

Being on my own for so long – this has not been a choice, but to date a reality – though I have learnt so much in solitude – I don’t project my beliefs onto others concerning a spiritual path because frankly it is not my place, their own evolution must come from within themselves, their own growth, their own realisations … this includes change, if they are truly seeking, all growth will come from within.

When I first arrived here from India, aside from being very ill, I was in my own little bubble and had to consciously stretch myself to move out of this bubble to engage with people …. We must engage outside of our personal bubbles …. I want and continue to be kind to people as I can be …. why not …. such behaviour brings smiles … I like smiles – kindness brings its own rewards.

The thing about not working from 9-5 in a job for most days is one has to make up our own mind what work we will do, where will we focus our energy, how shall we keep ourselves busy …. I chose to travel and to learn. I shall finish this book and will publish another perhaps about life and travelling … it is said that the first book is almost always auto-biographical as was the case for me. Part of me wants to finish the book, and I will, but at this point I am not sure about publishing it …. I have had this thought that stays with me “A spiritual teacher’s role is not to teach dogma or project their beliefs, but to awaken us to our divinity, to show us how to look, not what to see’ – I do not believe in just teaching dogma (mine or anyone else’s) … as it is merely a reprise of my or someone else’s experiences or thoughts … teaching others this way means that they might learn – however others must realise for themselves – (But how can they truly understand the depth of someone else’s dogma) as they have not had the realisations that for instance I have had to get to this point – in my view, for them just to rely on dogma, is a weakness, dependant, not strong for they are dependent on another …. I believe we must show others “how” to look, but in a way by reminding them of their divinity, they will discover their own base, their own path to divinity.

Of course when one is striving to grow, books are a valuable resource that can really help, they can trigger us, especially when reflecting afterwards in nature.

I have been able to stay mindful … and this has a wonderful effect of negating the effects of the ego …. The idea of judgement of others for instance, I came to the realisation that when we judge others we are in fact revealing an aspect of ourselves that needs healing …. In duality it is almost inescapable to observe, but in my opinion to judge, to reach a outcome can be avoided, we do not need to go to this step … I have written about this previously here …. Also those thoughts that concern the future (fears) … it brings peace and detachment from my own future, although it doesn’t detach me from engaging with my environment.

The Kundalini Awakening process is firmly doing its work … each event, normally each morning leaves a feeling, as it slowly moves up my body, now at the neck, so if I am right … we have next the throat chakra, the third eye and the crown, or ? But of course, I believe the Kundalini is an intelligence, and a being, an agent of the absolute that is divinity, it knows how to proceed. I have thought that the Kundalini Awakening is the same or similar to Self-realisation …. The other day I brought the light forward, the light that I can always bring from within me … this now pervades all of me … I do not have to reach for the divine …. It is everywhere, all of me …. To bring the Universe, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna and others all I do is bring them to my consciousness and they are there … their aura, their divinity, they are is within me (and you) and feeling this divinity is without effort.

Perhaps you have a partner – that you and your partner are spiritually on a different path is not a negative or reason for unhappiness, there can be real respect and love for each other, it is rare, please truly value it, this may not affect your relationships in the physical world, for the actual evolution of the consciousness comes basically in solitude and allowing the realisations that come when they will, let them come, they will come in tiny little steps, each one incrementally building on the one previously …. You may not even be aware until one day you start thinking of things in a different way as for the evolution of the consciousness is a path, a journey of changing our perspective … part of the lessons in my case it was to understand the true nature of love, for most it is not love they feel, for real love is unconditional, a way to understand this is a “mothers love” … children are loved for who they are, and no matter what they do, they are still loved without limits – because most mothers cannot see their children without seeing themselves, their experience, their own process, for them, there is generally no possible separation between them.

The fundamental flaw in humanity is the infection called ego, the belief hammered into children that we are all separate, this empowers the ego and along comes the instruments of separation, such as comparison, competition, conflict and eventually war. Today war is a business carried out by the Department of War in many countries, including the United States, but from a world perspective it is facilitated by the UN permanent members of the security council, United Kingdom, Russia, United States of America, France and China … these countries along with Germany are focused on the supply and sale of weapons – we know that weapons kill …. This fact is something that they take no responsibility for …. That to me is what is so difficult to understand these so called world leadership. One set of numbers tells us that over 100 million people have been killed in various ethnic cleansing, genocides and democides since World War 2 – Yemen, Syria and Palestinians are just current examples.

There are some societies that do not develop the ego as we do in the west, for their focus is not on the self alone, or self aggrandisement and money, but on community and each other …. Goodness, what a wonder, truly may they inherit the world.

I have below a personal history of a Kundalini Awakening and the aftermath …. this comes from my very good friend and guide Brigitte Arora. I am interested in this as the process began for me many months ago …. I will stay humble, grateful and surrender to this experience.

The following was experienced and written by Brigitte Arora

Kundalini – Power from Below

Kundalini is the energy that powers our biological life. It is the generator out of which the fires of life are stoked. It is the sustainer and regulator of our life force and the driving power that fuels our evolutionary, Transformative journey. The main goal of a fully risen Kundalini is to Awaken us to the state of a Higher Consciousness. A Consciousness that exists between the lower Consciousness of this world of duality and an ever-higher Consciousness that belongs to the Transcendent realms of Oneness. The Kundalini power can change us quickly and dramatically: Transforming our old animal body and psyche into a spiritual one.

Kundalini power has nothing to do with religion. However, it has been incorporated to become part and parcel of many religions and cults. Kundalini is a Sanskrit word that means coil; coiled like a snake. It is also referred to as the Serpent Power or the Serpent Fire. Throughout human history, Kundalini has been represented by the symbols of the serpent, fire and the snake. When the snake is shown as coiled it represents Kundalini in Her dormant state. When it is shown coming out of the crown on top of the head, it symbolizes the field of energy of a risen Kundalini.

Kundalini power comes from below. She lies in the perineum and is held stable and secure at the sacrum on the spinal column. There She rests dormant until She is Awakened. Once Awakened, She begins to move upwards along the spine. And as She ascends, her main targets are the seven psychic ‘centers’ that are situated along the spinal column. However, She can diverge at any point and spread out into all parts of the body. Her work is to cleanse and alter the organs and all other systems that compose the body.

Chakras in the human body

Her circuit begins in the area of the genitals and ends at the crown of the head. When fully aroused, She will pierce through the crown; the area often referred to as the Sahasrara. There are also three main psychic nerves, known as ‘nadis’. The main nadis, which follows the path of the spinal cord, is called the Sushumna. This is the main channel through which Kundalini ascends and descends. There are also two minor nadis. The one running up the left side of the spinal column is called the Ida and considered to be the feminine, cooling, and intuitive energy. The one running up the right side is called the Pingala and believed to be the masculine, rational energy.

Like electricity the Kundalini energy is neutral; She does not discriminate. She breaks down all the barriers within the physical body and removes ‘knots’ that are blocking the major centers or ‘chakras’. These centers are the main distributors of Her energy. Through Her cleansing power, She begins to alter these centers until they are fully opened and Transformed.

The cleansing process begins at the base of the spine, which is the lowest center; called the Muladhara. From there, she gradually works Her way up to the crown center at the top of the head, known as the Sahasrara. It takes years or many life times for a center to be fully cleansed and opened. After all the centers have been cleaned and Transformed, they will be connected and work together in united harmony. This is the first goal that needs to be accomplished in order to continue the Transformation of our current biological body.

The ultimate goal of the Kundalini power is to Transmute the physical body of the old man. Out of the old body She will forge a new body – one that will be formed and sustained by the vibrations of a higher frequency level. This new body will be the form for a New Species – called Cosmic Man. Cosmic Man will have his roots in the Transcendent Realm. Cosmic Man’s Beingness resides within a Higher Consciousness. He is a Being who is united and in Aware contact with his Soul and indirectly with The Divine.

In most people, Kundalini is by and large in a dormant state. Very few are Aware of Her existence and Her purpose. However, there are times in people’s’ lives when She is aroused for short moments to a small degree, due to some enchanted moment of pleasure. Most, who experience these unexpected moments, simply refer to them as a ‘chill up my spine’. Who has not felt at one time or another, this cool tingling stream that runs up the back of our spine and that sometime continues to move up to the head; making our ‘hair stand on end’. This stream of coolness is Kundalini on the move!

Kundalini can be aroused to action by something as simple as a sunrise, listening to our favorite music, reading an inspirational book or being absorbed in a joyful reverie. She can also Awaken spontaneously during moments of crisis when we receive an emotional or physical shock. She may also become active during childbirth due to prolonged pain and from repeated pressure being exerted on the area of the perineum. Mind-altering drugs and prolonged periods of sexual arousal can also Awaken Her. The main trigger for Her arousal occurs when the lower self-conscious personality and the Ego – are relegated to the background of Awareness by the quieting of the mind.

Kundalini power can be roused to rise to higher levels and Her stay on some levels can be prolonged. This is done through the practice of various yogic disciplines and through intense meditations. If someone who may not be ready to receive Her power intentionally activates Her, it can be highly dangerous. We must be advanced far enough on our Evolutionary path, so that our physical body has already begun to adjust itself to a higher vibrational level. A receiver must be physically healthy in order for the body to be able to tolerate and sustain Her forceful energy. We must also be mentally and emotionally stable enough to deal with whatever results are brought about by her suddenly Awakening us to an altered reality.

The power of Kundalini not only creates but can also destroy – by burning out our entire biological system! The brain and the nervous system of the old body bear the brunt of the pressure exerted by Kundalini’s forceful energy. Through Her cleansing, sensitivity is greatly increased. The physical body, the emotions, and the intellect become sensitized to a degree, which is out of proportion with what is normally bearable when we are within our normal lower self-personality only. The lower self-world has now become a hazardous environment for our well-being. We must find a way to re-adjust our Self to our old world. This is one of the most difficult adjustments we have to make on our journey of Awakening.

At rare times the Kundalini can, without any warning, spontaneously erupt in someone in all Her full-blown power. She will have made a complete circuit, moving up from the genital area to the top of the crown in the head. This spontaneous rising appears to happen often to those who have never even heard of Kundalini and it can also happen to those who are not leading an Aware spiritual life. They will have been prepared for this moment over the centuries of earlier life times. Perhaps, this sudden, out-of-the-blue, spontaneous rising is a final test – an opportunity to take this crucial defining moment in their Evolutionary journey and fully enter in or through fear of change and the unknown – let it slip by again.

If Kundalini rises and Awakens someone who has no knowledge of Kundalini and is not Evolutionary ready, then the receiver “is in peril”! It is dangerous even for those who have been preparing for this moment. The impact of the experience is so overwhelming and so astonishing that we will questions our sanity. We are left in a stunned state and simply cannot comprehend what has happened! Intuition tells us that it is best not to mention this to anyone. And we are right – who would believe such a far-fetched story!

In my case, it was the descent of Grace that was my salvation. Grace channeled the Kundalini power upwards. At the same ‘instant’ when the Kundalini fire ascended and reached Its highest point at the crown of the head – She descended and sent the Kundalini energy into the vertical Transcendent realms. And through this fusion, Self-Realization was triggered.

When the power of Kundalini pierced through the crown of my head, I found myself behind a wall of flames – a wall of flaming red fire! As I flowed forwards, the flames began to part swiftly; opening up more and more all around me. I found myself flowing into paler shades of red that turned into ever lighter orange hues which suddenly opened up to a soft white light without any boundaries. When I – who was only a bodiless pinpoint of Consciousness suddenly entered into this white light – I knew I had come Home. The group of Beings who greeted me with Joy, Love and Compassions – were my Immortal Family.

The descent of Grace is the saving moment for those who have a spontaneous full-blown Kundalini rising. Without Grace channeling the Kundalini power into the vastness of our spiritual Beingness, the Kundalini power would descend back down and be absorbed by our lower self-conscious personality – where through the ignorance of our lower self-ego values, the Kundalini power would be able to be misused for the darkest of worldly gains.

Why are some fortunate enough to have the benefit of Grace? I can only surmise at this point, that Grace comes to assist those whose time has come for this momentous and crucial turning-point on their Evolutionary journey. This is a leap into freedom – one that will take us out of the dark confines of the ‘fishbowl’ of our lower self-Conscious personality and establish our roots within the Consciousness of our Higher Self. And this is accomplished through our birth into Self-Realization.

Help for obtaining deliverance from bondage to our lower self-Conscious personality only comes after we have surrendered our ego and our self-will. Only when we have stood alone in our nakedness and vulnerability and have felt our smallness within the vastness of Existence are we humbled into surrendering to a Power that is beyond our understanding. It is then that Grace comes: picks us up – dusts us off – and points us in the right direction.

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Few, who have had a spontaneous rising of a full-blown Kundalini, culminating in Self-Realization, reveal this to anyone until many years have passed and some never do. However, after some years some would like to share it with others – in fact, feel compelled to spread the good news about the knowledge received through Self-Realization. This is especially true, while one is still in the first stages of exhilaration from the Self-Realization “high”. Yet, we know that the experience would sound too other worldly to be believable. We know that our account would most likely be taken as the ravings from a drug induced, delusional episode.

Once the initial euphoria of Self-Realization has calmed down to a level where our better reason prevails, we feel disinclined to reveal such an intensely intimate experience. How could we even find the right words – for explaining the unexplainable. Especially, when we ourselves don’t even understand the how, why and the ‘now-what’ of the entire mystery which had transpired.

There are some who will eventually discuss their Kundalini Awakening. But on average, it takes twenty or more years before we feel ready, because much time is needed to come to terms with the experience and to reach an understanding of what had happened and for what purpose. Most have a need to discover whether or not they have a mission to fulfill and, if they have an obligation to share it with others. If so, then one must find by what medium this sharing is to be accomplished.

Some will receive a ‘call’ which is too strong to ignore. It will drive them far from home – a home that for some has now become an oppressive environment. They can no longer breathe in the old world. It has suddenly shrunk to insignificance and feels confining and suffocating. The attachments that they have with others and for their material possessions are now all unraveling. Giving up all security and stability is the price they are willing to pay in order to follow this siren ‘call’. An inner summons that evokes a powerful yearning to go out into the freedom of the unknown in a quest for knowledge and understanding. Sometimes the “call” comes to go to a specific place and it cannot be ignored for long.

A few might retreat into a reclusive life. Some might simply continue on in their old environment and circumstances but search for a way of incorporating their new understanding and their new value system into their old life in a productive way. To use their new knowledge not only for themselves but also to help others. Some might continue on as always, spending the rest of their lives suppressing what they have experienced and learned. Rejecting and trying to stifle their newfound Consciousness – will split them in two. The opportunity to integrate their lower self-Conscious personality with their Higher Consciousness will be lost. Some will never reveal their Enlightenment but work quietly giving a helping hand to those who are in need: be it humans or animals. Through Self-Realization on obtains the knowledge that “All is always what it’s meant to be”. A great comfort when grappling with difficult situations.

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Kundalini has ignited to Her fullest potency. Her internal fire is now burning: cleansing and transforming all the layers of the deep-rooted cellular structure of our personality through the Transmutation of our physical body But, she takes the route of least resistance. Therefore, she can rise up as well as descend. If Her full power descends and settles back down into our lower self-conscious Awareness, then Her force will only reinforce our ego personality. Our ego will now be in a position to seize and use all our new gotten powers for its own desires.

The direction and force of the Kundalini fire depends on the level of our Evolutionary ripeness Her goal is not only to Transmute and strengthen the new vibratory frequency for the new body that She is creating for us but also to search out all our emotional and intellectual weaknesses. She will uncover them all; bringing them to the surface for us to see. She will force us to come face to face with the reality that is our Self and we will never be able to hide from our Self again. From now on, we will stand naked before the Beingness that we are.

All the hidden forces off our desires, impulses and our repressed denials will now come to the surface to be exposed and laid bare to our Awareness. Our mental control and willpower will be greatly weakened and overridden by Her dominance over all our actions. Without any comprehension of what is really happened to us and to where it will all lead; we would most likely find our self-incapacitated by uncertainty and fear.

A tremendous power is now racing through our body: a power that is not under our control. We are completely at Her mercy! We feel as if we have been taken over – and we have! The Kundalini energy is now charging throughout our entire system, contacting and touching all the parts of our Beingness. Her fire and Her Transformative intent will spare nothing. All we can do is ‘hang-on’ until She subsides back down to a level where we can regain a controllable balance for our Self.

Under the powerful influence of the Kundalini fire; our body, emotions and mind are functioning in a totality of disorder. Our central nervous system has lost its equilibrium. All our senses are heightened: colors, all movements and any and all disharmonies excruciatingly strike our heightened sensitivity. There are times when a pin dropping can sound like a bomb going off. Our overwrought nervous system is assaulted from all sides by the normal everyday sounds of society. Our body and emotions are engulfed in the vortex of a high voltage current. Our endocrine system is overly exerted and excited – particularly the pituitary, our master gland. Our system is being bombarded with excessive adrenaline and flooded with surging hormones. We are very Aware of all our emotions as they happening but have little control over them. One minute they are up and the next minute they are down. We know that we are not our emotions. However, as long as we are in this unbalanced state, we often don’t have the strength needed to be an objective observer.

The sex center is also overly aroused and we might find ourselves caught up in sexual fantasies; even to the point of trying to make them actually come about. I sensed a distinct division between the male and female aspect within myself: the animus and the anima. It seemed the masculine part of myself had come to the forefront and was now the dominating force of the sexual center. I experienced the one-pointed, aggressive rawness of male lust. That experience made me realize how much self-discipline the male of our species must learn in order to restrain his natural sex drive. This is made even more difficult when living in a society that promotes sex and aggression at every turn!

I was shocked and awed by this powerful and all-consuming drive and how it could drown out all other considerations in its pursuit for sexual conquest. It takes a strong-willed effort to bring the heightened urges of the sex center under control. And a strong willpower is exactly what we don’t have at that time, but we must find it. If we don’t, we might become a prime candidate for a mental and physical breakdown! There is a good chance that we might embarrass our self to no end through our run amok sexual escapades or worse, commit criminal sexual acts.

Kundalini will continue to manifest Itself in various ways throughout our bodily structure. We might begin to experience cold waves undulating through different parts of our body. We might feel that we are freezing and that we are unable to get warm, even though we are in the heat of summer. We might wake at night, thinking that our bed is shaking when it is actually our body that is vibrating inwardly. This is caused by a pulsating surge of power that comes in wave-like movements, which travel up and down our spine. At times we can actually hear a loud humming sound produced by this power’s vibrations. This humming sound is similar to the sound produced by high-tension wires.

We might experience severe and persistent itching, mainly on the scalp and the arms. This itching is a pulsating, crawling sensation that is fixed in one place. It can almost drive us mad because no amount of scratching can alleviate it. We might feel chronic pains in certain areas of our body. Some pains continued off and on for years; yet physical examinations found no cause for these pains. There might be episodes when our body feels elongated and we have a sense of floating rather than walking. At these times our body feels weightless and we do not feel our feet touching the ground.

There were times when I felt myself to be physically invincible. I took several falls, which under normal circumstance would have caused injuries. However, each time they occurred, it felt like an invisible force cushioned me against an impact with the ground. I had a sense of my body being supported and then being gently eased down to the ground. I always observed myself when falling and the falls always occurred in slow motion. At these times I didn’t feel connected to my body and watched from afar, as if I were a spectator.

The body will cry out for release through physical movements and we will intuitively take up strenuous activities. I felt a desire to go hiking, climbing hills and walking for ten or more miles each day, without feeling in the least tired. This hiking was normally done in the full heat of summer. This need for movement was overpowering and occupied most of my attention for the next three years. I only learned later, that this excessive need for movement was a critical necessity for discharging the excessive energy racing through my system. Again, Intuition had served me well!

We might feel obsessively confined when indoors and feel that we cannot breathe. We have a compelling need to be outside under the open sky and to be in touch with the sights and sounds of Mother Nature’s tranquility. I had a craving to be out in the sun. I couldn’t get enough sunlight or enough heat. My body kept thirsting for more. The body seemed to receive nourishment from the heat of the sun. The heat did not sap my strength no matter how hot it was; it seemed to only give me more energy.

The body began to crave more natural and simpler foods. Eating meat became repulsive to my body and eventually I became a vegetarian. It was not my mind’s desire but the body that rejected meat, fish and fowl. The mind continued off and on, for some years, to crave the old meat-eating diet and at times I gave in. But each time after eating meat, I would feel repulsed and gradually my mind stopped craving it. The new, more spiritualized body being forged requires a meatless lighter diet. It is only the old animal body that desires to eat other animals.

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If we want to continue to move forward with our spiritual Transformation, we must now practice the redirecting of our focus. We must choose to take only those decisions that follow the path of the Higher Values and reject those that reinforce the values of our old lower Self personality. Each time we choose to live by a Higher Value, our lower Self Consciousness will shrink and our Higher Self Consciousness will expand. The increasing ability to stay for longer and longer periods within the Higher Self-Conscious state, depends on the increase of our Awareness. And our Awareness is lodged within the fundamental core of our Essence: that which is our Immortal Beingness!

It is now imperative that we become an Aware and vigilant partner with the Kundalini process. There will be many times when Her power will try to seduce us with temptations – temptations which will take us away from our goal of spiritual growth. When a temptation is placed before us we must make an Aware choice of whether to move forward into the realm of Higher Values or to give in to our ego; thereby, reinforcing the values of our lower Self Consciousness. As long as we remain under the influence of our ego, it will fight us tooth-and-nail in order to appropriate all temptations for its own purpose. This is why it is so important that our willpower and our determination to move forward on our spiritual path remains steadfast.

We might find our self suddenly in possession of occult powers, also referred to as siddhis. We might gain the ability to read people’s minds or find that we can see their auras. We might also know what events are going to happen, before they do. We are likely to have visions and prophetic dreams. We might acquire a mesmerizing and appealing personal power that draws people to us.

These powers have nothing to do with spiritual growth and no matter how fascinating they are, they are almost always misused by ego controlled human beings. We must not get caught up by them but pass them by. Many well-intentioned leaders of spiritual organizations in the East and the West, have been overcome and corrupted by their personal powers. They became con artists, harming many trusting and sincere seekers in their lust for control over others, for sex and money and for their need to be worshiped. Those who get trapped by these powers will eventually have to reap a high spiritual price.

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I was blessed by the coming of Grace. The Divine Grace was my salvation! She descended in order to guide the Kundalini power upwards into the Transcendent Sphere. As Grace descended, at that same instant, the Kundalini energy ascended and pierced through the crown of my head. When this fusion happened, Grace used Her authority to direct the Kundalini energy upwards: in the direction necessary for the activation of Self-Realization. While at the same time, preventing the Kundalini energy from moving downward into the Ego personality. In this way, Grace brings about Self-Realization for those Beings whose evolutionary turning point is at-hand.

The purpose for Self-Realization is to comprehend who we really are and bringing about a Transformation of our Consciousness. It is an all-encompassing Transformation of the physical core of our Beingness – of the ability to have objective Awareness of our ‘Self’. This is done through the gradual elimination of our lower Self-Conscious state by promoting and Evolving into the growth of a Higher Conscious state. The resulting fusion of the two – brings forth a third state of consciousness – Cosmic Consciousness. This is the state of Consciousness within which the next species of Man will have his Beingness.

Once Self-Realization has been activated, the Kundalini energy will again retreat downward. However, she will never retreat fully back to her earlier den from which she has now broken free. She will remain at a level where She can support the immediate aftereffects of all that Self-Realization produced. In my case, it took approximately three years for Her to subside to a point, where I was once more in a balanced enough state to continue on with my daily activities. The Kundalini freed from her den, can now move up or down as the Transformation process demands.

During those three years, the Kundalini energy intermittently peaked, catapulting me into Higher-Realms-of-Realities. At other times, she kept me functioning at an energy level, which was well beyond what the normal person’s physiology would have been able to tolerate. I was filled with vitality and an exhilarating feeling of ‘aliveness’ that few humans would believe possible. Thankfully, I was levelheaded enough to keep a firm footing on my mental terra-firma and not allow myself – in spite of my frequent desire, to retreat into the seduction of the Mystic Sphere.

The ability to establish an Aware contact with our Higher Self is the direct outcome of Self-Realization. And once we surrender totally to our Higher Self, we will always be Aware of IT being with us, as a constant companion and guide. But, we must surrender totally! If we do not, we will not be alert and able to hear our Higher Self’s voice or feel IT’s presence. Our Soul’s voice comes in the form of Intuition, which is the ‘language’ of the Higher Self – our Soul. Intuition arrives suddenly in a flash and then is gone just as quickly. Our Higher Self will communicate to us all we need to know. Our calls will always be answered and our needs fulfilled. We are also guided and aided in how best to respond to the effects of the Kundalini power.

The first answer I received, was that the risen Kundalini power and my Awakening to Self-Realization was benign and for my best interest. I didn’t have a clue why all this was in my best interest or where these events were taking me. However, I knew beyond a doubt that I must surrender in complete trust to Intuition in order to survive the Kundalini onslaught and Self-Realization. My Soul was my only guide and my only deliverance from possible disaster. The only hope I had of successfully dealing with Kundalini’s rampaging energy and with all the changes and effects yet to come. It was only years later that I came to understand that my birth into Self-Realization and the rising of Kundalini were two separate powers – with two separate objectives.

A fully risen Kundalini changes us quickly and dramatically. She works on the Transformation of our physical body. In the beginning we have no control over Her actions. We are completely at the mercy of Her all powerful up and down surges of energy. All we can do is ‘hang on’ until Her energy stabilizes. When out in public I was always on edge, never knowing when sudden, unpredictable body movements placed me in some embarrassing situations. I gradually learned how to gain some control over these Kundalini produced body movements.

I found that if I held on to a solid object, like furniture or a wall, then my body would stabilize and these movements would end. Sometimes these movements occurred during my yogic dancing or meditations. My auric body would begin to float upwards but as soon as I placed my hands on the floor and became ‘grounded’ I would reconnect with my physical body and feel solid again. There were times when my hands would suddenly begin to make graceful movements as if in tune with some far-away music. At other times, the Kundalini current would travel up into the head and cause my ears to begin moving up and down and my eyes to flutter. My scalp would also expand and tighten.

On various occasions, I would suddenly find myself being ‘taken up’ and absorbed into Cosmic Consciousness. When that occurred all desire for where I was going or what I was doing would evaporate. I would then find myself with my thoughts stopped, being directed by the flow of the Cosmic Consciousness. By the time that one becomes Aware of this sudden shift in Consciousness, we might already find our self in a dangerous situation; such as driving the car on the freeway.

When the process of entering Cosmic Consciousness begins, a disconnection with our physical body takes place. The body and it’s present functioning, recedes into the background and is no longer in charge. The body’s reflexes slow down to almost nothing and the body’s survival mechanism withdraws. Slowly, as our Awareness of the Cosmic Consciousness deepens; we begin to lose Awareness of our physical body.

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The Kundalini power significantly increases our creative abilities. Our already existing talents and skills will acquire a new depth and originality. Latent artistic capabilities of which we were not Aware, will come to the surface and be revealed. We will spontaneously take up painting, writing and other artistic pursuits. We will be amazed, that without any formal training or even without any former interest in these creative endeavors, we with some practice excel in them. This is because we are Aware of and feel the Higher Guidance that inspires and aids us in creating.

Now we have our footing within two different states of Consciousness. This has added a deeper dimension to our reasoning power and our intelligence. This provides us with an all-encompassing overview, a broader sensitivity and a larger understanding of all situations. We now have the ability to ‘stand back’ from any situation, even our own, allowing us to remain an objective observer with our emotions and thoughts in neutral. We are always able to see ‘both sides of the coin’: therefore, being able to make better judgements.

We might suddenly discover that we have acquired mesmerizing oratory skills and find ourselves able to go before large crowds without fear. The trust in our Higher Self will provide us with all the right words for what we want and need to say: allowing us to speak effortlessly and with confidence. People are very much drawn to us; they find us charismatic and interesting. The opposite sex in particular finds us attractive and exciting. All these new-found attributes of our persona does not feed our ego; it leaves us feeling grateful and humbled.

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In the process of our Transformation, the mind is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Most of the changes we make after our Awakening, do not become stabilized and permanent immediately. The Mind fights against most of the deep-seated changes that we try to bring to fruition, because most of these changes are anti-Mind. The Mind does not want to surrender and will fight to retain its domination over us. Most people are dominated by their ego infested Mind. This must be reversed if we are serious about our Transformation. We must bring our ego-Mind under our control. The Mind is not who we are! We are the Beingness that observes the Mind at work.

The Mind functions like a computer and knows only the data that we and others have fed into it. It can only function and communicate with words and is the direct opposite of Intuition. Especially, the infected ego-Mind is a persistent chatter-box that likes excitement. It constantly fills our head with all kinds of desires, fears, what-ifs, fantasies and dramas; this is its life-blood. The Mind has its life only within the lower self-personality and has no existence beyond this border. It can accompany us part of the way during our Transition into the Higher Consciousness by way of the lower self-conscious personality. But once the Higher Consciousness becomes the dominant force, the Mind will recede and play only a small part in our cognitive life. The Mind dies with the physical body and the personality; for it cannot enter the Transcendent Realms.

Ego-Mind works to eliminate peace and stability in our life. It does not seek unity, serenity or harmony; it rejects it. Ego-mind likes to keep us in an unbalanced state for than it can even more easily control us. Sitting quietly and silently will prove this to us. It cannot tolerate being pushed into the background and will begin to assert itself by starting Its roof-brain chatter, thereby, taking control over us again. The ego-Mind likes to separate, dissect and break everything down into minute units of specialization. It compartmentalizes and keeps everything in a separate box. Today’s human beings function in a state of mild insanity – which has now become the norm.

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My Transformation still continues but it does so for the most part, in a gentler way. Often, I am aware of the Kundalini energy at work as it moves from one area to another through my body. But I have become accustomed to these continuous alterations being made to the body and no longer pay much attention until it reaches a critical moment in the Transformation process. I am now alerted by an inner ‘knowing’ whenever a major change in my biology is preparing for an important shift. Usually, several months before this shift is ready to materialize, I begin to feel a twinge of ‘sensitivity’ within the heart center and sometimes in the solar plexus. At times, I know intuitively what that change pertains to and will have already been reflecting on it for months before it actually materializes. Most major shifts that happen effect and Transform our body as well as our emotional and intellectual centers. Sometimes we can feel an almost immediate impact within our emotional and intellectual life. At others times there can be quite a gap before the change made is able to be digested and its impact felt on our old way of thinking and responding.

On several occasions, the choice was left up to me whether I wanted to make a change or not. I was ‘asked’ if I was willing to make a specific change now, in order to move on to the next phase of my Evolutionary growth. I normally sense when a change is forthcoming and that most likely it means a “letting go” of someone or a specific situation. Sometimes I sense what this “letting go” is and either try to ignore or postpone the change. However, you will continuously be asked until you accept or the choice is taken out of your hands and your Soul will cause the change to happen. This will usually involve more pain than if you had surrendered to the inevitable and gracefully accepted what had to be.

Once I was asked to make a change that would mean leaving my “middle-age” behind and moving into the fringes of “old-age”: this was not a pleasant prospect to think about. I procrastinated and tried to ignore this message for many months but the message continued coming until I finally consented – only because I knew that I could not move further on my Evolutionary journey until I agreed. And as always, once the thinking stops and the “let-go” is accomplished, all doubts evaporated. I discovered that I had gained freedom by “letting-go” of all the baggage that comes with middle-age. I soon realized that this new stage of life also had its advantages. I was now embarked on a whole new adventure to look forward to. This was a good example of how the ego-Mind interferes when we are faced with the “unknown”.

As soon as I consented, the alterations that occurred to my psyche began to drastically change the course of my life – immediately! It was truly astonishing to see my life change so quickly in the direction of the choice I had made. The changes which our decisions bring, come about without any thoughts or efforts on our part. We have to do nothing except make the decision. All the rest just follows automatically.

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There is another important fact regarding our physical Transformation. A Kundalini rising has some very unsettling long-term effects on the body. Of course, everyone is different, but I suspect that others who have experienced Kundalini symptoms have attributed them to some type of serious illness. I had no idea that there was anything strange about my symptoms and my illnesses. Even my doctors believed that all my symptoms actually were due to quite serious problems. Though with time, the doctors always seemed a bit puzzled because the illnesses they diagnosed did not follow their normal course; something always seemed a bit off.

For instance, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I had been experiencing and suffering all the symptoms for months. The doctors, however, were puzzled because I did not have an enlarged goiter nor did I have the bulging eyes; both main symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Yet, all my outward symptoms of accelerated heartbeat, hypertension, sweating and trembling and losing weight plus the laboratory work confirmed beyond a doubt that I had hyperthyroidism. I was in such a bad state that the doctors wanted to operate immediately. They were afraid that my heart would give out. Intuitively I refused the operation.

I was put on medications and told that I would have to take them for the rest of my life. I took the medications for about six months. Then one day, quite spontaneously, I decided that I did not want to be on medications for the rest of my life and threw the medicine in the wastebasket. For me ‘that was that’ and I never gave it another thought. All symptoms of hyperthyroidism disappeared. It was gone!

I had several severe bouts of nervous hyperactivity. One such episode sent me to the hospital for three days. I could neither sleep nor sit still. My senses of hearing, sight, and smell as well as my emotions were amplified to such an extent that the outer world had turned into an enemy-of-my-destruction. An uncontrollable surging flow of energy kept me moving up and down the corridors of the hospital. I could not sit or sleep or think rationally. The doctors didn’t know what to do with me. All the medications provided to calm me down were ineffective. I really thought I would go mad if I continued on in this way. Suddenly three days later, just as quickly as the episode began, it disappeared and never came back again.

Over the years there were other diagnosed ‘illnesses’ that followed the same pattern and as always – leaving the doctors puzzled. I instinctively feared the doctors, their treatments and any medications more than the disease. So, I decided to stop consulting doctors and to trust and follow my own “inner-voice” even though some of the “illnesses” where quite worrisome. I had decided it was safer to just let them run their course.

It was only many later years after my Awakening that I was able to put ‘two and two’ together and began to understand all these curious ‘illnesses’. After experiencing the many physical Transformative effects due to the Kundalini Awakening, I came to the conclusion that all these earlier ‘sicknesses’ I experienced were not really sicknesses themselves. What I experienced were only their symptoms! This was similar to getting an injection to prevent a disease and then coming down with a mild case of it.

I concluded that these symptoms came to the surface due to the power of the Kundalini cleansing process. As She cleaned, the body expelled the toxins and the ‘illness’ symptoms were the result. Many of these symptom-illnesses had started and continued over a period of fourteen years prior to the Awakening of Kundalini! Of course, at that time I knew nothing about Kundalini but it shows, that during this period, she was already rising and receding and actively engaged working on the Transformation of my body.

I will relate an incident that occurred to me only recently. I had laser surgery for a cataract removal in one of my eyes. All went well with the surgery and the next morning I began my post-operative treatment. I had to take several medicines and four different eye drops on a rotating basis, throughout the day. In the evening, I took a new eye drop for the first time. Within five or six seconds there began an itching sensation in the palm of my hands. I knew this to be a sign of a slight allergic reaction. I’ve had small reactions to medications before, so I was not alarmed. I laid down on the bed and within a few more seconds the soles of my feet also started itching.

Now I began to take notice; this was not the norm. The itching escalated with lightning speed and I jumped out of bed hoping to walk off the reaction. Walking had usually stabilized earlier allergic reactions I had. I walked over to the open window to breathe some fresh air. Suddenly, a ‘lead ball’ of massive weight and with enormous speed began rushing up the front of my chest. I remember thinking ‘I am in deep trouble’! The ‘lead ball’ reached the area of my heart – and that was the last I remembered. I had gone into anaphylactic shock!

When I woke to Awareness I remember thinking; why is my room looking so strange? After a few seconds of puzzlement, I realized that I was lying on my back on the floor looking up at the ceiling and also became Aware that my head was hurting. It dawned on me than, that I must have become unconscious and fallen backwards onto the floor. It took about ten minutes before I was able to gather my thoughts enough to correctly dial one of my friends who then called my doctor.

When my doctor was notified he was astounded that I had an allergic reaction to eye drops. He said that in more than twenty-years, he had not known anyone to have an allergic reaction to these drops. He insisted that I stay with my friends overnight, in case I had more repercussions from the reaction or from hitting my head. I felt fine the next morning except for a slight feeling of weakness and several days later I had recovered my full strength. Another consequence from the reaction was that my hair began falling out in strands. This continued for several months and then gradually stopped and my hair eventually grew back in.

I found the whole incident extremely curious and interesting. No more than fifteen or twenty seconds passed from the time when the itching began to the time I lost consciousness. I had felt no fear and neither did the body. Throughout the incident until I passed out, I was aware of my feelings, as I watched the occurrence as an objective observer. I first became Aware of its movement as it sprang upwards from the area of my solar plexus and began ascending up my chest. It felt like the size of a fist; an ‘atomic ball’ that contained the weight of the entire world. That ‘lead ball’ puzzled me. What had it really been?

After months of analyzing this incident over and over again, I came to the conclusion that this ‘atomic ball’ had been the life force of the Kundalini. The onset of the anaphylactic shock had triggered Kundalini to rise. She had gathered together all Her energy, which had been dispersed throughout my body, and coalesced It back into this ‘atomic ball’ – which is Her compressed structure. She was on Her way out of my body. If She would have exited my body, my umbilical cord with the material world would have snapped and my body would have ‘died’.

Her atomic structure would then have become my pathway – a dark and speeding supersonic tunnel that carries our Beingness out of this life. At the other end of the tunnel the Immortal Light of my Soul would have been waiting. So, why did Kundalini stop short of leaving my body? In other words, why didn’t my body die? The body didn’t die because I only had the symptoms of an anaphylactic shock! I wasn’t meant to leave this world yet, or I surely, I would have. I feel certain that this episode occurred so I could gain more understanding of the workings of the Kundalini power.

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It took many years to reach a stable balance between the lower Self-Conscious state and the Higher Self-Conscious state. To reach that point, I had to climb to the heights of mountain tops and to travel within the depth of deep valleys. Occasional falls occurred but with each fall and the ensuing lessons learned, I became stronger. Later, I came to understand, that these peaks and valleys are essential for helping us to advance further.

The extremes, existing within me, became neutralized and balanced through these ascents and descents. All the loose parts and divided pieces of myself united together into solidity and stability. Nothing is free on the spiritual path – all must be earned through our own efforts!

A divine force shall flow through tissue and cellAnd take the charge of breath and speech and act

And all the thoughts shall be a glow of sunsAnd every feeling a celestial thrill

The Spirit shall take up the human playThis earthly life become the life divine

This is a very cut down post from one of my other blogs …. although the headline sounds awful (which it is) one must say that the circus was already there …. with social media we have just offered the platform where divisiveness and conflict is perpetuated … so it flourishes and grows – globally.

My own experience on Social Media, I have found it to follow Carl Jung famous quote “Thinking is difficult, so that’s why most people judge” – when someones response to a post via a jarring condemnation or criticism, we know that this comes from their own perspective, their own beliefs or dogma .. they are not verifying the trigger (the original post) they are reacting to the trigger without establishing if it is true to start with.

In the other blogs I have gone into the reason people react rather than reflect before they respond … here and here

Let start with the trigger for a social media post, a headline, a comment or some content that we see that has appeared on a social media or main media platform – many take the words literally, instead of verifying … the writer (who comments) responds with what he feels is (their) truth … without any reticence about the rights he has even to comment or any due diligence on the trigger statement itself.

This is important I feel .. if you have any questions of concerns about the veracity of information you are receiving via the internet from news and more particularly Social Media …. ask yourself the following questions ..

1. Who is writing the stories? – is the source credible .. though that is not always a guarantee of veracity to know if it is true, fake or misinformation, designed to misinform and create or increase divisiveness.

It is hard these days to know what news services are credible … those sources from my youth such as the UK Broadcasters, now are suspect … all one can do is to seek confirmation from a number of sources.

2. Who benefits from these stories? – does a political party or aspect of society benefit from say misinformation contained in the story .. please evaluate the story impartially, not through the primary filter of your personal political beliefs and convictions.

3. Who is missing from these stories? The other side, a different perspective on the situation.

4. Verify anything that can be verified in the story, don’t share it or believe it merely because it agrees with your general beliefs or with your confirmation bias.

The whole concept of conspiracies (real or not) also feeds into our fears and powerlessness, our victim mentality – this can generate frustration and eventually anger and on occasion, action to right a perceived wrong, if we don’t let it go or educate ourselves. Those that practise divisiveness and manipulation of the population have been wildly successful, since conspiracy theories, race resentment, sexism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, misogyny and other base bigotries ( sorry emotions ) have a significant visceral appeal to ingrained beliefs amongst, those susceptible.

The reason for fake and divisive news seems clear … from the old concept of Divide and rule (or divide and conquer, from Latin dīvide et imperā) – but just imagine a world where we were all working together rather than as now huge energies and resources are wasted on things we cannot control – but they keep us busy and so not asking difficult questions of or holding Politicians and Governments accountable. Politics purposefully introduces fake (lies) news and misinformation (such as a possible threat, internal or external) to maintain their control.

Social Media as an experience seems like humanity expressing itself as adolescent in its thinking … like children in a playground, emotional reactions without reflection, and without thought.